Continuous rotary dump



May 26, 1925.

E. RAMSAY CONTINUOUS ROTARY DUMP Filed Sept. 5, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 o 0 0 o :llllxlll INVENTOR Erskine. Run-new.

ATTORNEY May 26, 1925. 1,539,205

I E. RAMSAY v CONTINUOUS ROTARY DUMP Filed t. s, 1922 H 4 sr leets sheet 2 I g'nmcnfiu Erskine Ramsay May Z6, 1925.

E. RAMsAY I CONTINUOUS ROTARY DUMP Filed'Sept. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 26, 1925.

E. RAMSAY CONTINUOUS ROTARY DUMP Fiied Sept. 5, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lwcufct Erskine Ramsay.

Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES, I

ERSKINE RAMSAY, F BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

conrmuous no'rnnir DUMP;

Application filed September To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, ERSKINE RAMSAY,' a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Birmingham, in the county of J efferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Continuous Rotary Dumps, of which the following is a specification.

I h Iy invention relates to rotary dumping mechanism designed to accomplish the dumping of continuously moving cars which may, if desired, remain coupled to other cars of a trip both within and without the dump and to the hauling means, if any, the cars of a trip being swivelly coupled to each other and to the haulage means, if any, and dumped singly or in groups of two or more. In the development of the rotary clumping art the earlier dumps were adapted to dump cars singly and required that the cars he un-- coupled and moved one at a time into the dump. Such appliances, while effective for dumping, required a large amount of labor on the tipple and the capacity of the dump was not great, due to the time required tomove the empty cars out, to uncouple and spot the loaded cars in the dump, to operate the dump, and then to recouple the empty cars. To overcon'ie this and to increase the efficiency and capacity of the dump I conceived the idea of coupling the cars in trains by swivelled couplings and advancing the train step by step through the dump so that one or more cars at a time could be dumped without being uncoupled. This materially reduced the labor and increased the capacity of the dump.

The next development was the elongation of the dump to receive and dump entire trains of cars at a time and while this increased. the cost of the tipple and dump, it resulted in reducing labor to a minimum, and greatly increasing the capacity.

The object of my present invention is to attain by the relatively small dump the maximum dumping capacitywith a mini mum of labor and to this end I have conceived that a dump can be designed through which a trip of cars of any length can be caused to move at a controlled speed continuously and which will dump each car during the time required for it to traverse the dump and without requiring its uncoupling from the the a n t e t p r the trip i 5, 192a. "Serial No. 586,133.

the haulage means, if any. While Ihave shown my invention designed forthe dumpmg of cars one at a time it is nevertheless within its scope that the cars may be dumped in groups oftwo or more.

My invention also comprises the novel details of construction having in view the coordination ,of the movements of the dump with that of the trip of cars; the provision of co-ordinated lock and release means for the rotary dump the provision of means to effectively stop and to materially increase the speed of operation of the dump to increase its dumping capacity; and in the utilization of the dump itself to effect the timed movement of adjacent track portions so that they will clear the ends of the car overhanging from either end of the dump.

My invention also comprises the novel details of construction and arrangements. of parts hereinafter more particularly described and set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which p Fig. 1 shows in end elevation a rotary dump with the movable'track sections at both ends shown in their full and dotted line positions, the center lines on this figure being applied toindicate that the tracksfon the dump may be set off center or tilted to unbalance the'dump.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of twin dumps show ing the position of the movable track sec-- tions.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the dump showing the operating mechanism which co-ordinates the movements of the dump, the trip of cars and the stopping, latching and starting means for the dump.

Fig. 5 illustrates conventionally a swivel coupling for the cars in a trip.

Figs. 6 to 9 are diagrammatic cross-sectional views showing the various critical positions of aficar during its passage through the dump.

Figs. 10 to 13 are end views of Figs. 6 to 9. i

Fig. 14 is an end view of Fig. 4, the tracks being shown off center to unbalance the dump. I

Fig. 15 is a detail view illustrating the respectively peration o th t ting Spring butters and is a detail view.illustrating'the offset relationship of the dump latches.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the embodiment of: .niy invention .illustrated, I shows rotary dump 1 which can-be fifabricated or anysuitable material and made of any lengthto accommodate'one .or more thanone car at a time according to the re- .quirements at .each individual plant.

I have illustrated the dump conventionally as adapted to receive .a single-car. I In Fig. 1 .Ihave shown a typical dump structure wherein it isshown tocon prise a pair of annular riding rings 2 each adapted .to 'besupported on a. pair of spaced flanged trunnion wheels 3. The dump carries track sections i mounted on cross supports 5 whiehare bolted or riveted to gusset plates 6 which -in turn are attached to .the base flange of theriding ring. The plates Goa-rry longitudinal hold-down angle irons .7 adapted to overhang the hub or projecting end of the axle 8 carrying .the wheels 9 of the car 10. The plates 6 also carry friction rollers 11 to support the weight of "the car when tilted. To the plates 6 at one endfof the dump I attach a trip rail which .is adapted to engage a pin 18 fast to the swinging frame comprising side bars lit which carry in their upper end a .n'iovable track rail section 15 and near their lower ends are pivoted by an axis 16 to the tipple structure, the lower end of each :bar being connected by a coil spring 1,? to a suitable stationary member 18 which springs serve to swingthe track rail section 15 to its normal or operating position when it-is not swung outwardly by the ,aotionoi the trip plate 1:2 and held out by a ,track 19 which extends from the outer end offthe trip plate 12 around the dump :and terminates pret eralily at theflower end of the opposite gusset plate 6. The gusset plate 6 at the opposite end o'fthe dump carries a trip plate 12 disposed on the same side of the dump as the'tr'i'p plate 12 and: adapted to engage the pin 13* on .the frame 1 4 which the opposite end of the dump carries a movable rail section 1'5 formingpart of the other track from that of the movable rail section 1'5. The relation of these two movable rail sections'to'the main track rails 20 is illustrated in Fig. 2 which also shows my inventionas applied '130 a pair of dumps. Each one being shown in Fig. 1, and theseplates .21 serve .as stops :to limit the swing of the frame 14 and 14 The trip plate 12 merges into a track 19 at :its respective .end

of the dump which preferably likewise terminates at the lower end of the opposite gusset .plate 6. The i-iding rings are cross-connected by any suitable metallic elements and the track section is-arranged so as tobr ng the center of gravity of the loaded car above the horizontal center line of thexdump in upright position and to bring the center of gravity of the inverted dump, also above its center. The lines h ll in 1 represent a center line of .thecar in the dump with the tracks arranged in the centerof thedump and thus leaving the car balanced except for a counterweight 22 mounted in the lower right hand'quadrant of the dump andpreferably being in the =form= ofa cylinder held in .place .by straps 23 and adapted to [receive a avariable weight suflicient .to unbalance the dump to vthe desired extent. By the .dotted lines BB I indicate conventionally the center line Qf4th car if it isdesired to arrange it sufiiciently -10fi' center, as shown in .Fig. 14, to unbalance the dump to-one side. By the lines .CvC 1 indicate the center line of .the car, assuming ,its tracks 1arev tilted so as to unbalance it, as shown in Fig. 15. Any (one tor combination-of two or more of the said methodsof unbalancing the dump can .be practiced as may seem bestsuited foixeach operating condition. but I prefer the arrangement shown with the-car on center and the .unbalancing weight carried in ,a lower quadrantof the dump disposed on the side towards which-it ,is. desired xto unbalance the dump' The car may be of any desired construction and is provided with any suit able type of draw-head 2st. The .drawheadspasshown, are coupled by a pair .of swivelled connected links 25 which permit the ins .to rotate relatively toeach .other.

The mechanism for coordinating the feed of the care through the dump; :the intermittent ,rotation .of the dump; the stopping and starting of ;the dump; and the latching .and I releasing of the dump in its ,car- .receiving and discharging position, will .now be 'describeddn the preferred embodiment illustrated, whichhoavever .is typical of ,various adaptations which the operating .con dition ,each tipple may indicate. The main powershaft 25 is mounted in .any snittable bearings, .not shown, above the dump and is driven either by motor or by motor and belt drive to the pulley 26, as shown.

All drives for the different co-ordinated operating mechanisms are derived from this shaft 25. At each end the shaft has made thereon a sprocket 27 which, by means of a sprocket chain 28 passing over idler pulleys 29, passes down to and drives a sprocket wheel 30, which by a bevelled pinion 31 drives a bevelled gear 32 011 a cross shaft-33 which passes transversely under the main tracks 20 and there serves to drive a sprocket wheel 34 (Fig. 17 which drives an endless trip moving chain or belt 35 carrying car engaging elements 36 passing over an idler pulley 37 so as to enable each car, engaging element 36 to advance the full dis tance between coupling centers. One of these trip movers is arranged at each end of the dump but according to the grade of the track either or both may be used and the trip movers shown are merely typical of any suitable speed controller for the trip of cars whether moved by power or by gravity, and when the trip moves by gravity it supplies energy through the driving connections described to the power shaft in proportion to the incline of the track andthe number and weight of the cars in the trip.

Above one end of dump, the shaft 25 has first thereon a sprocket wheel 38 which by means of a chain 39 drives a large sprocket wheel 40 mounted on a sliaft 41 in suitable bearings 42 centrally disposed above the dump. Fast on the shaft 41 is a double cam 43 which is adapted to engage pins 44 on the arms 45 and to move them outwardly to their dotted position, Fig. 16, and then release them to be drawn inwardlyby the action of the spring connection 46 which connects the vertical bars 47 that are pivotally attached to the outer ends of the bars 45. These bars 47 are mounted in bearings 48 below the dump and at an intermediate point each can ries a pair of spaced brackets 49 in Which a shaft 50 (see Fig. 18,) isfree to slide vertically. Each shaft 50 near its center carries a heavy stop lug 51 and between this lug and the upper and lower brackets 49 areinterposed coiled compression springs 52which absorb the thrust of the dump imparted to the stop lug when the latter stops the dump. The dump ring is provided on opposite sides with a pair of stop lug seats 53, which seats in transverse alignment are offset so that the lug 51 at one side will only engage in its respective seat 53. The dump ring being continuous will support the lugs until the dump after a complete revolution moves their respective seats 53 under them. The double cam 43 is timed to force the lugs to disengage the dump at the proper moment and then releases the lugs to engage and ride against the dump ring until they snap into their respective seats 53 and lock the dump after it has completed a revolution.

The power shaft carries at an intermediate point above the dump a pair of sprocket wheels 54, each of which by its respective driving chain 55 is connected to a sprocket 56, which sprockets are mounted on shafts 57, one of which is disposed at each side of and above the dump. These shafts are mounted in suitable bearings 58 and fast on each shaft is a stop and starter in the form of a semi-circular element 59 having mounted on each of the faces lying in the same diametric plane on opposite sides of the shaft a compression spring 60. These stops and starters rotate continuously and aresynchronized so that with the dump moving in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 15), the dump lugs 61 will simultaneously engage the corresponding compression spring 60 of the stops. At the time of such engagement the stops are traveling in the same, directi on as the dump but much slower and thus serve to bring the dumpslowly to rest when the stop lugs 51 engage and hold it. As the stops continue to rotate they will cause the other compression springs 60 to engage the lugs 61 on the opposite side and to store up power in the springs, the stop lug cam 43 being timed to disengage the stop lugs 51and release the dump at the moment the two starter springs have absorbed considerable power and the starters are-ready to start. the rotation of the dump bothby positive push and by the reaction of the engaged compressed springs 60. This will give the dumpa quick start, overcoming its inertia and greatly increasing its capacity.

The drive comprises a large sprocket wheel 62, loose on'the shaft 25, which is equal in diameter to the dump so that one rotation of the shaft 25 corresponds to one rotation of the dump. From the sprocket wheel 62 a sprocket chain 63 leads to the dump and engages sprocket teeth 64 surrounding it, preferably near an end riding ring. The sprocket wheel has segmental blocks 65 mounted therein and each provided with a socket 66 in which the clutch pins 67 are adapted to engage. These pins preferably are bevelled as at 68 so that they will drop gradually into their sockets as the clutch elements move into interlocking position; The clutch pins are carried on a plate 69 which is fast on a clutch collar .70 splined on the shaft 25 and free to slide thereon into and out of engagement with the gear sprocket sockets 66', under control of a yoke 71 which rocks in a bearing 7 2 on a supporting frame 73. Fast to the yoke is a lever 7 4, the free end of which rests on a-spring 75 mounted on a pedestal. 76 which tends. to press the lever upwardly against a cam 77. This cam is loose on the shaft 25 but is fast to a sprocket'wheel 78 also loose on. the shaft 25 and connected by a chain 7 9. to a sprocket wheel 80 fast on a countershaft 81 and driven by means of a sprocket wheel 82 and all) chain -83'from a-sproc'ket wheel 84:- last on the shaft l lie,geai' ratios in the driveztrom the sprocket 84 toth-e sprocket 78 bring about a two-to'one speed reduction so that the clutch will be drawn out by the operation of the cam 77 just as the dump lugs 61 engage the stops '59 so as to leave the latter treeto stop the dump so that the clutch will bethrown in just after the stop'lugs 51 have been disengaged front-the dump to release it.

In describingthe operation of my invention, reference is particularly made to Fig. 1 andFigs. 6 to 13, both inclusive. A trip of cars is moved to the dump and the forward car is engaged by the adjacent trip mover 35, which thereupon controls the rate of movement of the trip over the track '20 and into the dump. 'lVith the dump locked in initial position, the movable rail sections and 15 stand in operating position as seen in Fig. 13. The dump is held at rest by its stop lugs 51, the starters 59 are moving through their idle Zone of travel, and the clutch 69 is disengaged. While the trip mover is advancingthe forward loaded car of thetrip up to the position of the loaded car shown in Fig. 9, the dump and all of its control mechanism performs a complete idle cycle of operation which will beunderstood from the description later given and has returned back to initial position-with the movable track sections again in line with the tracks 20. While the drive to the latch, the stop and starter, and the cam 77, is moving through the idle portion of its cycle, the feeder advancesthe loaded car into the dump until its rear wheels havejust cleared the movable track section 15. When this occurs'the latch mechanism is operated to release the dump, the clutch is thrown in, and the starters 59 engage the dump lugs 61 to start the dump promptly to rotating, responsive to its drive, and as it commences to rotate its trip rail 12 picks up the pin 13 of the movable track section 15 and shifts it out so the track section 15 will clear the rear end of the car which is protruding from the dump. This is clearly shown in Fig. 6. As the clutch is thrown in simultaneously with the release of the dump, the gear wheel 62 takes control of the dump and rotates it at a uniform rate of speed. By the time the dump has rotated through its first quarter cycle, the wheels will. have moved into the dump and assumed the position shown in Fig. 6. By the time the dump has completed its halfturn, the car will be inverted and wholly within the dump (see Fig. 7 The trip pin 13 for the track section 15 will be riding the guide rail 19 on the dump and will still hold its track section out, and the trip rail 12 for the track section '15 will have engaged the pin 13 of the 7 tracksection 15 'to move that outwardly .so

asto clear the end of the 'carwhich will have commenced to emerge from the far end of the dump (see Fig. 8). During the third quarter oi the dumps rotation, the guide rail '19 releases the pin 13 controlling'the track section 15, while the guide rail 19 by engagementwith the "pin -13 holds the track section 15 'out, and the second loaded oar ofthe trip moves upto the position shown in 'Fig. 8. During the final quarter turn. the track section 15 is released resuming alignment with the tracks 20 and the wheels of the car that has just been dumped reach'the point of passing onto this track section 15". 'lVhen this occurs, the stops 59 will occupy the position shown in Fig. 15. while the double cam 43 will have released the dump latches 51 and the cam 77 will have disengaged the clutch. At the moment that the dump under itsmomentum assisted by the counterweight 22 completes its cycle, the latches 51'grasp it and hold it, and during an equal length of-timerequired for the preceding cycle of action all of the other parts inovethrough their idle'cycles, thus giving two equal periods 'for dump rotation and dump'rest. While the dump is at rest, the-empty car that was in thedump moves out over'the track section 15 and the loaded car next to enter the dump moves over the track section 15, whereupon the starters 59 will have engaged the starter lugs 61, the cam 4C3 will have disengaged the dump, -latches 51, and the clutch will have been simultaneously thrown in, and thereuponthe operating cycle o r the dump will repeat. It follows, therefore,that while the. trip is moving continuously the dump moves halt the time and is at rest half the time, and during its movement of rest the cars pass over the movable track sections and during the period (of rotation the car in the dump moves between the movable track sections. In'this way, without bringing the trip to rest during'the period required for each car'to traverse the dump, it is inverted by a rotation of the dump which in the appartus shown is a complete rotation, but obviously the extent of the angular movement of the dump need 'be only sufli cient to insure the discharge o'fthe contents of the car or cars in the dump.

WhE-IG'IDOIB cars than one are dumped at a time, the same period of time will be re quired for the dumping cycle as where only one car is dumped, but the relative period ottime required for the dumps idle cycle must be increased to permit the several cars to enter the dump. Roughly the dumps rest period may be taken as the dumping period multiplied by the number of 'cars. The

dump driving gear 62 is preferably of the same diameter as the dump sprocket gear 64 its diameter may be largeror smaller as conditions may require, this, of course, re-' quiring a corresponding change in design for the other drives.

Though I have described with great particularity the details of the embodiment of the invention herein'shown, it is not to be construed that I am limited thereto as changes in arrangement and substitution of equivalents may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car dumping apparatus, a dump movable to dump a car thereon laterally, tracks having movable sections adjacent to the dump, and means co-ordinated with the dumps movements to move said track sections into and out of operating position, as and for the purposes described.

2. A dumping apparatus according to claim 1, in which the dump at each end has trip means to control the adjacent movable track section.

3. A dumping apparatus according to claim 1, in which the dump has at each end a trip to shift the adjacent movable track section laterally, and a track to hold the track section out during a predetermined part of the dumps cycle of'operation.

4. In combination, a rotatable car dump having thereon a track section, means to cause a trip of cars to move continuously through said dump, means timed to rotate the dump during the interval required for each cars Wheels to pass over the track section in the dump, and means to hold the dump stationary during the interval required for a loaded car to pass onto the dump track section.

5. In combination, a rotatable car dump having thereon a track section, means to cause a trip of swivelly coupled cars to move continuously and uniformly through said dump, means timed to rotate the dump during the interval required for each cars wheels to pass over the track section in the dump, and means to hold the dump stationary during the interval required for a loaded car to pass onto the dump track sec tion and the empty car to pass off of the dump track section.

6. A dump according to claim 5, in which the means which control the continuous movement of the trip of cars is adapted to engage and move at a uniform speed the car approaching and the car departing from the dump.

7. In combination, a rotary dump, a mover for moving a trip of cars through the dump, a dump latch means, and means to rotate the dump in combination with a common control mechanism for operating all said elements comprising co-ordinated drives to operate the trip mover continuously and the dump and its latch means intermittently. 8. In combination, a rotary dump, a mover for moving a trip of cars through the dump, a dump latch means, and means to rotate the dump in combination with a common con- 9. In combination, a rotary dump, a latch means therefor, a mover for a trip of cars traversing the dump, and a co-ordinated drive for all moving parts, comprising a clutch operable to effect an intermittent fast speed drive for the dump, and a continuous low speed drive for the trip mover. 7

10. A. dump according to claim 9, in which the clutch is automatically disengaged while the dump latch is engaged.

11. A dump according to claim 9, in which the clutch is caused to automatically engage as the dump latch isdisengaged.

12. A dump according to claim 9, in which the co-ordinated drive comprises a common drive shaft, a dump driving gear equal in diameter with the dump and loose on the shaft, a clutch means to drive said gear with the shaft, and speed reducing drives to operate the clutch and the dump latch from said shaft.

13. In a dump for a continuously moving trip of cars, a track for the trip of cars, a rotary dump carrying a section of said track substantially the length of a car to be dumped, swivel couplings connecting the cars in the trip, a trip mover to move the cars continuously through the dump, means to operate the dump as each car traverses it, and means co-ordinated with the movements of the dump and trip mover to move sections of the track adjacent to the dump to clear the overhung ends of the car being inverted by the dump.

14. In a rotary dump, means to rotate the dump, and moving stops for the dump which have a movement co-ordinated with that of the dump.

15. A rotary dump according to claim 14, in which the dump stops move at a reladump; 8" lug on the dump, a; rotating, seg':

menthayihg lug, engaging, faces, on 019 psite sideslofrits centnnieansto. drive sal segment to. present one of its faces to the lug to stop the chimp, aid the other of its faces to. the? lug to start the clu'lnnp,v and. means, to l'atchitfiedump While stationary.

20,1311. dump fbr. a. trip of swivelly cognledl cars, a; rotary dump. adapted to be intei-m'itt'entIy rotated' for a,. fillll revohition always in the same direction mea ns to mov the trip Contihuously through the d1;1mp,,

agencies? to hold the dump et'ationnrydul ing the tltansferring of a; loaded car thereinto;

andto, rotate the dump during the passage I of. a can therethrough and'fmeans; to displace elementsrihthe path of the car ends overhung, f-r'om, the dump ends during. its rotation;

In testimony Whereo-fl aflix my signature; ERSKINE. Witness:

NO IE WELsR, 

